Companies that fail to adopt a people-focused approach to artificial intelligence risk losing their best AI employees within the next two years, according to new research from Gartner. The analyst firm predicts that by 2027, half of enterprises without a “people-centric strategy” will see top talent leave the organisation. The warning reflects growing concern that many organisations are pursuing AI deployment primarily through cost reduction and automation rather than workforce development. Gartner argues that firms focused solely on replacing jobs with the technology are unlikely to achieve the long-term returns they expect. (more…)

New polling from Lenovo suggests that the widespread, and often unregulated, use of artificial intelligence in organisations is creating operational risks, increasing costs and slowing the return on investment from AI initiatives. The company’s latest Work Reborn Report, based on a survey of 6,000 employees worldwide, claims that more than 70 percent of employees now use AI tools on a weekly basis. Up to a third of this activity is taking place without formal oversight from IT departments, contributing to the growth of so-called shadow AI. (more…)

A new report suggests that fears of artificial intelligence triggering widespread job losses in the UK have yet to be borne out by evidence, with little indication so far of major disruption to employment. The study, published by think tank The Centre for British Progress, examines labour market data since the rapid emergence of generative AI tools and finds no clear signs that the technology has led to large-scale displacement of workers. Despite frequent predictions that AI could significantly reshape or reduce the workforce in the near term, the report concludes that such effects are not yet visible in aggregate employment trends. (more…)

Corporate adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be slowing, raising questions about the pace at which the technology will deliver economic returns, according to a new analysis of data in The Economist. Figures quoted from the US Census Bureau suggest that the proportion of employees using AI at work has edged down to around 11 percent in recent weeks. The decline is most notable among larger organisations with more than 250 staff, where uptake had previously been stronger. The findings indicate that, three years into the current wave of generative AI development, business demand may be less robust than anticipated. (more…)

British adults are more anxious about robots than people in any other major economy, according to a new global study which suggests the unease may stem from a lack of exposure to the technology in everyday life. The research, published by technology firm Hexagon, is based on a survey 18,000 people across nine countries for its Robot Generation report. It found that 52 percent of adults in the UK say they worry something might go wrong when they think about interacting with robots. The global average is 42 percent, while in South Korea the figure is just 29 percent. (more…)